The present invention relates to an apparatus for supporting a simultaneous establishment of a plurality of parallel, fluid plug connections, containing a holding plate having apertures arranged in at least one straight row to receive junction pieces of fluid lines which are provided with abutments and can be inserted axially, and a securing slide which can be guided displaceably along one slide direction in the holding plate and has at least one contour which, by displacing the securing slide, can be brought into a position fastening the junction pieces in the apertures.
A support apparatus is shown in DE 27 46 921 C3. The essence of this apparatus is a holding plate having circular apertures and a likewise plate-shaped securing slide which is connected to the holding plate such that one is guided displaceably on the other by a short path in a linear manner. It has recesses, the outline of which is formed by two circular cutouts with different diameters overlapping each other. The inside diameter of the recesses is no smaller at any point than the diameter of the smaller circular cutout. The recesses thus have approximately the outline of lock cylinders used in doors to houses and apartments, and their greatest inside diameter lies parallel to the displacement direction of the securing slide.
The larger circular cutouts of its recesses are aligned with the apertures of the holding plate. In its opposite end position, the smaller circular cutouts of the recesses are aligned with the same apertures. The latter are provided for receiving a multiplicity of junction pieces of pneumatic or hydraulic lines which are provided with circumferential abutments in the form of annular grooves and can be pushed into the apertures up to a stop when the securing slide is in the said first end position. In this case, the junction pieces have a slight radial clearance in the apertures. If the securing slide is now brought into the second end position, the edges of the smaller circular cutouts of its recesses engage with the grooves of the junction pieces so that the junction pieces are held positively by the securing slide in the holding plate.
With this apparatus, a fluid multiple adaptor with individual junction pieces, which can be exchanged in a simple manner, can be manufactured. The multiple adaptor can be connected in total to a distributor or the like with a number of connectors corresponding to the number of the plugged lines or junction pieces. The holding plate is screwed onto the distributor together with the securing slide. The securing slide is likewise guided in the holding plate in a longitudinally extending indentation and is held therein by screws sliding in elongated holes.
In the known apparatus, the correct plugged-in state of all the junction pieces has to be expressly ensured before the securing slide is pushed into its second security end position because no catch facility or the like for the holding plate is provided in the holding plate itself. Additionally, both the holding plate and the securing slide must be provided with apertures or recesses precisely matching the junction pieces. This causes a relatively great outlay in terms of production. The screw connections between the securing slide and the holding plate, on one hand, and the holding plate and the distributor, on the other hand, also require a relatively long time to fit together.
Finally, in an embodiment of the known apparatus, screw or plug-in bolts, which are to be handled separately, are provided for securing the securing slide in its second end position while the securing elements of a second embodiment which snap in automatically in a securing manner each have to be pressed back individually counter to spring force into a release position using a suitable tool when they are released, for the exchange or removal of junction pieces and, moreover, likewise cause a great production outlay.
In the known fluid multiple adapter shown in DE 29 47 855 A1, two holding discs are arranged in parallel and having passage holes and are used for fastening the plug-in nipples. The plug-in nipples are plugged into the approximately aligned passage holes of the two holding discs and fastened positively therein by mutual rotation of the holding discs. Edges of the passage holes in the holding discs are thereby immersed in abutments of the plug-in nipples in the shape of circumferential grooves so that a crescent-shaped overlap between the immersed edges and the outer contour of the plug-in nipple results in the axial projection. In the fastening position, the holding discs are mutually interlocked.
In known electrical multiple plug connectors shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,432, a slide is guided in or on one of the housing parts for connecting the plug-in pins arranged fixedly in a first connector housing part to corresponding plug sockets which are arranged fixedly in a second connector housing part. The slide is manually displaceable and, in the correct relative position between the two housing parts, effects the simple and simultaneous establishment of the electrical contact by the two preplugged or abutted housing parts being moved towards each other via sloping side guides of the slide which is moved manually transversely to the plugging-in direction. Upon reversal of the direction of the movement of the slide, the latter once more separates the plugged multiple plug connection.
British Patent No. 1,442,837 likewise describes an electrical multiple plug connector which is provided with a movable slide. This slide does not, in fact, support the approach of two connector housing parts, but serves for their automatic locking after the electrical contact has already been produced manually. It is resiliently prestressed into its locking position, is moved counter to the spring force by a short stroke during the joining of the plug connection and drops into its locking position on completion of the joining. If it is moved manually counter to the spring force in the plugged connection, the connector housing parts and once more separated from each other by sloping slide guides of the slide.
In these types of electrical multiple plug connectors, the exchange of individual leads/plug pins/plug sockets is, in general, not readily possible. Accordingly, the slides provided in such connectors are in no way designed for fastening electrical connector contacts in the connector housing parts.
An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus such that its production and at least the insertion and fastening of the individual junction pieces in the holding plate are greatly simplified.
The foregoing object has been achieved according to the present invention by way of a positive-fit axial fixing of the junction pieces in the holding plate by an edge of the apertures of non-round construction of the holding plate. The edge extends at least over a limited circumferential section of each aperture and is configured so as to engage with the abutments of the junction pieces. The edge is provided in each case on one side and at the end of the greatest inside diameter of the non-round apertures. Lateral fastening of the junction pieces transversely to their insertion direction within the non-round apertures in the position in which their abutments (5 W) are in engagement with the edge by at least one contour of a securing slide. The contour is straight and extends in relation to the edge on the side of the junction pieces facing away from the edge.
As a result of such an apparatus, the junction pieces, can be pushed against an edge of the respective aperture, after their axial insertion in the insertion part within the respective non-round aperture. The edge thereby comes into engagement with the abutment of the respective junction piece, and by way of which they are then already secured provisionally against dropping out. With this significant improvement in the insertion of the junction pieces, the simultaneous establishment of parallel fluid plug connections of the junction pieces is far better supported than with known apparatus. A simpler production of the apparatus is also already guaranteed by the simplified form of the securing slide.
The edge will, of course, have to be matched to the contour of the abutment, but it can be of circular, oval or multi-cornered shape, e.g. polygonal or prismatic, which results in a corresponding shape of the non-round aperture, at least in the region of this edge.
It is possible in conjunction with the described fixing of the junction pieces in the apertures simply to configure the contour of the securing slide fixing the junction pieces within the aperture to have a straight line, the contour being guided along the row of junction pieces when the securing slide is pushed in in such a way that it reliably prevents lateral sliding-off of the abutments from the axially fixing edge of the aperture in each case.
In a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the edge is of round construction so that standardized shapes of essentially cylindrical junction pieces can be used and their likewise cylindrical abutments, in particular annular grooves or elevations, can come into engagement with the edge over the largest possible circumference in the sense of the best possible axial support. For this purpose, in accordance with an advantageous development of the apparatus according to the invention, the non-round apertures of the holding plate have an insertion part provided for axial insertion of the junction pieces and the abutments of greater inside diameter and have a holding part which is provided with the edge of smaller inside diameter, is round and partially overlaps the insertion part. The junction pieces in the holding part of the respective non-round aperture are axial fastened after their axial insertion in the insertion part. For this purpose, the junction pieces are pushed transversely to their insertion direction and in the direction of the greatest inside diameter of the respective non-round aperture and the abutments are brought into engagement with the edge of the holding part.
The greatest inside diameter of all the non-round apertures are angularly oriented relative to the slide direction and the at least one straight contour of the securing slide. The insertion parts of the apertures are at least partially covered by the pushed-in securing slide, by which the junction pieces are fastened in the respective holding part by the at least one straight contour of the securing slide. The support of the simultaneous establishment of parallel fluid plug connections of the junction pieces is further thereby improved.
In a basic embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention having a single row of apertures in the holding plate, the securing slide can be of a very simple, for example a ruler-type design, with one of its longitudinal edges fastening the junction pieces when it is pushed in.
It is, of course, understood that in this and other shapes of the securing slide provided within the framework of the invention, the defined fastening of said securing slide in relation to the holding plate can be dispensed with because it is not essential, for the effective lateral fastening of the junction pieces, which part of the straight contour of the securing slide actually prevents a junction piece from being pushed back into the insertion part of the respective aperture.
Advantageously, a narrowing in the transition between the insertion part and the holding part can be provided in each aperture of the holding plate. The narrowing allows the junction pieces to snap into the holding part even before the securing slide is pushed in. Then firstly only an additional securing function remains for the securing slide, in which securing function it only reliably prevents the junction pieces from moving back into the insertion part under the effect of forces without its said straight contour having to be brought into contact continuously with the junction pieces or even having to grip behind the abutments provided.
In conjunction with the above-mentioned sliding mobility of the securing slide even when the junction pieces are fastened, there is a resulting possibility of using the securing slide additionally for attaching or locking the holding plate and the junction pieces on a component which is to be contacted fluidically with the junction pieces and thus to allocate a dual function for the securing slide.